Website accessibility statement
This accessibility statement applies to https://www.worcester.ac.uk
Using this website
This website is run by the University of Worcester. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website, and find, access and understand our content. For example, that means you should be able to
- Navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
- ‘Skip to main content’ using tab on your keyboard
- Listen to most of the website using a screen reader
- Navigate our online forms using just a keyboard
We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.
AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability. AbilityNet is a UK charity that exists to change the lives of disabled people by helping them to use digital technology at work, at home or in education.
We were 19th in the July 2024 Silktide Index of 156 UK university websites with a score of 91%. The monthly index is based on automated tests carried out on a random selection of 125 of our 4,000 pages for accessibility against Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1. When this statement was last updated (9 July 2024), our overall Silktide accessibility score for the full site was 95%, scoring at 95.4% for level A, 93.7% for AA and 93.7% for AAA.
Disability support
Our Disability and Dyslexia Service offer a wide range of support and advice to students with disabilities, and also to parents, staff and external agencies supporting students. The support available includes:
How accessible this website is
We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:
- You can’t modify the line height or spacing of text
- Some PDF documents aren’t fully accessible to screen reader software
- Live video streams do not have captions
- Our live chat system may not be fully accessible to screen reader software
- Most of our videos don’t have audio description
- Keyboard-only users may find it difficult to access some of our content, such as embedded virtual tours
Feedback and contact information
If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille:
We’ll consider your request and get back to you in five working days.
If you cannot view the maps on our campus locations pages, please contact us for directions.
Reporting accessibility problems with this website
We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, please contact our Digital Communications team:
Enforcement procedure
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).
Technical information about this website’s accessibility
The University of Worcester is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances and exemptions listed below.
Non accessible content
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.
Non compliance with the accessibility regulations
While text can be zoomed or magnified, it is not possible for users to modify text spacing or line height. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.12 (text spacing). We are working with our digital agency to explore potential resolutions to this issue.
Some of our videos do not currently have accurate edited captions, transcripts or audio descriptions. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.2.1 (audio-only and video-only pre-recorded), 1.2.2 (captions pre-recorded), 1.2.3 (audio description or media alternative pre-recorded) and 1.2.5 (audio description pre-recorded). We intend to resolve this issue by the end of October 2024.
Some of our PDFs and other documents published after 23 September 2018 - or published before that date but essential for administrative processes - don't fully meet accessibility requirements, including WCAG 2.1 success criteria 1.1.1 (non-text content), 1.3.1 (info and relationships), 1.3.2 (meaningful sequence), 1.4.3 (contrast (minimum)), 2.4.2 (page titled), 2.4.5 (multiple ways), and 3.1.1 (language of page). We are working through these documents to ensure their content will be accessible or that an accessible alternative is available. We intend to resolve this issue by the end of October 2024.
Our third-party online chat system may not meet several WCAG 2.1 success criteria. We are liaising with the supplier regarding their timeline to create a more accessible version.
Some of our 360-degree virtual tours of facilities do not display sufficient colour contrast and may not be fully accessible to people navigating the site via just a keyboard. This doesn’t meet several WCAG 2.1 success criteria, including 1.4.3 (contrast (minimum). We are working with our supplier to investigate potential a potential resolution to this issue. We intend to resolve this issue by the end of October 2024.
Some of our forms do not identify the purpose of fields programmatically, meaning that browsers will not autocomplete those fields. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.5 (input purpose). We are working to resolve this issue. We intend to resolve this issue by the end of October 2024.
The numbered pagination links on our news pages do not combine adjacent links with the same destination. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.1.1 (non-text content). We are working with our digital agency to resolve this issue. We intend to resolve this issue by the end of October 2024.
Some of our campaign pages have an empty heading if a particular piece of content has not been populated. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 (info and relationships). We are working with our digital agency to resolve this issue. We intend to resolve this issue by the end of October 2024.
The ‘block’ element that appears on some of our campaign pages has a missing ARIA description ID. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 (info and relationships). We are working with our digital agency to resolve this issue. We intend to resolve this issue by the end of October 2024.
The ‘please select an option’ text on some of our forms has insufficient contrast when the dropdown is open for users to select their option. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.3 (contrast (minimum)). We are working to resolve this issue. We intend to resolve this issue by the end of October 2024.
A small number of forms, and a field on some campaign pages, have one or more form controls without labels. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.1 (info and relationships). We are working with our digital agency to resolve these issues. We intend to resolve this issue by the end of October 2024.
Some pages have two or more links to different destinations with the same link text. This doesn’t meet WCAG success criterion 2.4.4 (link purpose (in context)). We are working through pages to resolve this issue where possible. We intend to resolve this issue by the end of October 2024.
Disproportionate burden
The University of Worcester is not claiming disproportionate burden for any issues on www.worcester.ac.uk
Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations
PDFs and other documents
Many of our older PDFs and Word documents don't meet accessibility standards. For example, they may not be marked up so they are accessible to a screen reader. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.2 (name, role, value). The accessibility regulations don’t require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential for active administrative processes. We are working to ensure that as many newly published PDFs or Word documents as possible meet accessibility standards.
Live video
Live video streams do not have captions. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.2.4 (captions - live). We do not plan to add captions to live video streams because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.
Discover Uni
The colour contrast of the text on the Discover Uni statistics panels does not have sufficient colour contrast for visually impaired users. This doesn't meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.3 (contrast (minimum)). Also there is no way to control the animation within the Discover Uni panels. This doesn't meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.2.2 (pause, stop, hide). The Discover Uni panels are exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations. This is third-party content that is neither funded nor developed by us, nor under our control.
Video captions
Some of our older videos don't have accurate edited captions or transcripts. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.2.1 (audio-only and video-only pre-recorded), 1.2.2 (captions pre-recorded), 1.2.3 (audio description or media alternative pre-recorded) and 1.2.5 (audio description pre-recorded). The regulations do not apply to recorded videos published before 23 September 2020. However, while these videos are not subject to the legislation, we will carry out an audit of all our videos by December 2022, and then begin a process of updating captions and adding transcripts.
Maps
Some of our online maps are not fully accessible for keyboard-only users. This doesn't meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.1.1 (keyboard). Some of our maps do not provide sufficient contrast for visually impaired users. This doesn't meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.11 (non-text contrast). Our online maps are exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations. Essential information, such as an address, will always be available alongside a map.
Third-party maps
Some of our maps and 360-degree images are embedded from third party sources, such as Google Maps, and are not fully accessible. This doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.1 (parsing). This is third-party content that is neither funded nor developed by us, nor under our control. Please let us know what information you require and we will try to provide the information in an alternative format.
Third-party iframe title
There is an iframe on our ‘Pollen Calendars by Area page that does not have a title. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.1 (bypass blocks). This iframe is part of a ‘widget’ from a third party that is neither funded nor developed by us, nor under our control. It is therefore exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations
How we tested this website
This website was last reviewed in June 2024. The review was carried out by our Digital Communications team using accessibility review tools within the Silktide platform.
We used Silktide tools to test all pages on this site. We also manually reviewed the most commonly visited pages, and spot-checked pages using the Axe Chrome browser extension.
We tested:
All of our pages are tested each week by the Silktide platform, which makes automated checks of 4,000 pages against the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards using automated techniques.
What we’re doing to improve accessibility
We have a rolling programme of updating content in accordance with the guidelines set out by the WCAG.
This includes:
- Ongoing work to eliminate issues raised by the weekly Silktide automated tests
- Working through our existing PDFs and, where possible, replacing them with HTML web pages or accessible alternatives
- Training website contributors on how to build accessible web pages so that issues are eliminated before they are published
- Training website contributors on how to create accessible PDFs
This statement was originally prepared in September 2019. It was last updated in July 2024.